Responses of adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase to weight loss affect lipidlevels and weight regain in women

This study determines whether changes in abdominal (ABD) and gluteal (GLT) adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity in response to a 6-mo weig ht loss intervention, comprised of a hypocaloric diet and low-intensity wal king, affect changes in body composition, fat distribution, lipid metabolis m, and the magnitude of weight regain in 36 obese postmenopausal women. Ave rage adipose tissue LPL activity did not change with an average 5.6-kg weig ht loss, but changes in LPL activity were inversely related to baseline LPL activity (ABD: r = -0.60, GLT: r = -0.48; P < 0.01). The loss of abdominal body fat and decreases in total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol we re greater in women whose adipose tissue LPL activity decreased with weight loss despite a similar loss of total body weight and fat mass. Moreover, w eight regain after a 6-mo follow-up was less in women whose adipose tissue LPL activity decreased than in women whose LPL increased (ABD: 0.9 +/- 0.5 vs. 2.8 +/- 0.6 kg, P < 0.05; GLT: 0.2 +/- 0.5 vs. 2.8 +/- 0.5 kg, P < 0.01 ). These results suggest that a reduction in adipose tissue LPL activity wi th weight loss is associated with improvements in lipid metabolic risk fact ors with weight loss and with diminished weight regain in postmenopausal wo men.